It is early in the morning when a police helicopter takes off over the north of Dresden. The goal is a low-rise building between the garbage dump and the prison, the branch office of the Higher Regional Court. The helicopter circles over activists who have hung posters on barriers. “ACAB” is on it, short for “All Cops are Bastards” or “Defund the Police”. The same police force is standing in front of the courthouse in large numbers. The reason for the call-up is Johannes D., who testified as a key witness that day. In a process that focuses on the structures of the left scene.
Since autumn 2021, the state security chamber has been negotiating against Lina E in the high-security room of the Higher Regional Court. The student is said to have been the leader of a left-wing extremist and militant group that has been spying on neo-Nazis since 2018 and committed at least six targeted raids. Three suspected supporters are sitting with her in the dock in Dresden.
So far they have all remained silent about the allegations, as has a witness who is said to have helped Lina E. spy on a well-known right-wing extremist in Leipzig. The young woman was more willing to pay a fine of 200 euros in court than to testify. In doing so, she adhered to an iron rule within the left-wing scene: no cooperation with the judiciary and security authorities.
Johannes D., on the other hand, has spoken to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the State Criminal Police Office over the past few months about the alleged “Group E.”, to which he is said to have belonged – but also about other acts of violence. In the left scene he is now considered a “traitor”. Images of a graffito that indirectly threatened to be shot appeared on the Internet. For his appearance in court, the already high security precautions were tightened.
Johannes D. enters the high-security room with his lawyer and six bodyguards wearing stab-resistant vests under their open shirts and a gun on their belt. When D. takes a seat at the witness table, they sit behind him. Facing the crowded auditorium. There are also former companions of Johannes D.
It was about “permanently injuring” people
The 30-year-old took notes. He briefly reports on the nightly attack on the neo-Nazi Leon Ringl in Eisenach in December 2019. At that time, Johannes D. had the job of shadowing Ringl and telling him by phone when he was leaving his pub “Bull’s Eye”. When Ringl and his companions were attacked by hooded men on the street, D. was already on his way back. When asked about the motivation for such attacks, D. said it was always about “permanently hurting” the person. That’s why tools like hammers were used. Ringl remains unharmed that evening. Victims of other attacks suffered fractures and serious head injuries.
The Attorney General, who was in the alleged “Group E.” sees a criminal organization, D. also hopes for decisive information on its hierarchies, the organizational and communication structure. So far, the evidence on this has been very thin. Johannes D. tells the court that the agreements were mainly made via encrypted messenger services. He communicated less with Lina E. than with her fiancé, Johann G. He is currently on the run.
The fact that Johannes D. testifies against him, Lina E. and many other suspects is because he has long been ostracized in the left-wing scene. On the left Indymedia appeared in October 2021 his full name, including photos and date of birth and nickname. Such an “outing”, as it is called in left-wing circles, is mostly directed against neo-Nazis, but not against their own people. Apparently his ex-girlfriend wrote the post. She accused D. of having raped her – and called for him to be excluded from left-wing circles. Further posts then appeared in which D. was deprived of any solidarity. He shouldn’t be seen anymore. D. was already working in Warsaw as a supervisor in a day-care center.
In court, Johannes D. reported the consequences of the “outing” for him. He was attacked by neo-Nazis and lost his job. “It was clear to me that this would always be an issue, that I could not gain a foothold.” D. wanted peace and quiet, but that didn’t happen even after investigations against him into allegations of rape were dropped in March 2022.
At the end of April, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution referred Johannes D. to the State Criminal Police Office in Saxony, where a special commission has been investigating crimes from the left-wing political milieu for years. D. had apparently expressed the desire to provide information and find out about security measures. He has been in the witness protection program ever since.
A stroke of luck for the security authorities
Johannes D. is a stroke of luck for the security authorities. Due to the great mistrust, investigations within the left-wing scene are particularly difficult. D. now provides the police with information on various crimes. In January 2019, unknown persons set off incendiary devices in front of the branch of the Federal Court of Justice in Leipzig. The Attorney General is investigating. After D. had also testified in this case, a house search was carried out in Leipzig-Connewitz. Johannes D. apparently also wants to testify about an attack on neo-Nazis at the Dessau train station in Saxony-Anhalt and he wants to provide information about a butyric acid attack on a shop in Dortmund that sells clothing by the Thor Steinar brand, which is popular with right-wing extremists.
Further repressions are now expected within the left-wing scene and some entries on Indymedia give little hope that Johannes D.’s wish could come true. It says he will not be able to live anywhere in peace. It sounds like a threat.